# US 2014/0190542 A1 · Wafer scale thermoelectric energy harvester > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190542 A1 - Document ID: US20140190542A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/066,129 - Filed: 2013-10-29 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: Analog Devices Technology - Inventors: William Allan LANE; Baoxing CHEN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190542A1 ## CPC - H10N 10/17: characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device - H10N 19/00: Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one thermoelectric or thermomagnetic element covered by groups H10N10/00 - H10N15/00 - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An integrated circuit may include a substrate and a dielectric layer formed over the substrate. A plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements and a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements may be disposed within the dielectric layer. The p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements may be connected in series while alternating between the p-type and the n-type thermoelectric elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermoelectric harvester, comprising: a pair of layers at least on for coupling to a heat source; a plurality of thermoelectric elements disposed within a space between the layers and having a run length that is greater than a distance of separation between the layers, wherein: the thermoelectric elements are electrically coupled together in series in alternating device types, and the thermoelectric elements are coupled to both of the layers at opposite ends thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1, further comprising a thermal contact layer disposed above the thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1, wherein each thermoelectric element has a top and a bottom, wherein the top of one thermoelectric element is connected to the top of a first adjacent thermoelectric element and the bottom of the one thermoelectric element is connected to the bottom of a second adjacent thermoelectric element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 3, wherein the thermoelectric elements are connected via interconnects and a barrier metal is included between each interconnect and the thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric elements include p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements connected in series while alternating between the p-type and the n-type thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 5, where the p-type or n-type thermoelectric elements are superlattices. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 5, wherein each p-type thermoelectric element is adjacent to only n-type thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric layer disposed between the thermoelectric elements and one of the layers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 8, wherein the dielectric layer is a polyimide layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 8, wherein the thermoelectric elements have higher thermal conductivity than the thermal conductivity of the dielectric layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1, further comprising a substrate disposed adjacent to one of the layers outside of the space between the layers, the substrate including a cavity in a surface that is adjacent to the layer. ### Claim 12 A thermoelectric harvester, comprising: a substrate; a dielectric layer formed over the substrate; a plurality of thermoelectric elements disposed within the dielectric layer, the thermoelectric elements having a run length that is greater than a distance of separation between the first and second thermal conductor layers; and wherein the thermoelectric elements are electrically coupled together in series in alternating device types. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 12, wherein the thermoelectric elements are connected via interconnects and a barrier metal is included between each interconnect and the thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 12, wherein the thermoelectric elements include p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements connected in series while alternating between the p-type and the n-type thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 14 wherein each p-type thermoelectric element is adjacent to only n-type thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 12, wherein each thermoelectric element has a top and a bottom, wherein the top of one thermoelectric element is connected to the top of a first adjacent thermoelectric element and the bottom of the one thermoelectric element is connected to the bottom of a second adjacent thermoelectric element. ### Claim 17 A thermoelectric harvester, comprising: a substrate including a first thermal conductor layer on a first surface of the substrate; a second thermal conductor layer disposed above the first thermal conductor layer; a plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements disposed between the first thermal conductor layer and the second thermal conductor layer, the p-type thermoelectric elements having a run length that is greater than a distance of separation between the first and second thermal conductor layers; a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements disposed between the first thermal conductor layer and the second thermal conductor layer, the n-type thermoelectric elements having a run length that is greater than a distance of separation between the first and second thermal conductor layers; and wherein the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series while alternating between the p-type and the n-type thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 17, further comprising a thermoplastic between the thermoelectric elements and the first thermal conductor layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 18, wherein the thermoelectric elements are provided on sloped surfaces of the thermoplastic. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 17, wherein the substrate include a cavity in the first surface of the substrate. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 17, further comprising: a thermoplastic between the thermoelectric elements and the first thermal conductor layer; and a cavity in the first surface of the substrate and under the thermoplastic. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 17, wherein each thermoelectric element has a top and a bottom, wherein the top of one thermoelectric element is connected to the top of a first adjacent thermoelectric element and the bottom of the one thermoelectric element is connected to the bottom of a second adjacent thermoelectric element. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 17, further comprising a second substrate provided on a first surface of the second thermal conductor layer that is opposite to a second surface adjacent to the thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The thermoelectric harvester of claim 17, wherein the thermoelectric elements are connected via interconnects and a barrier metal is included between each interconnect and the thermoelectric elements.